There’s more than airport construction happening along Harbor Drive. The San Diego Maritime Museum, together with the Port and City of San Diego, are building a replica of the San Salvador—the flagship vessel of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo as he explored the west coast. The full-sized ship, which will be fully functional and historically accurate, is slated for completion by November 2013. It is an all-volunteer project.

Anna Daniels, Frank Gormlie and I received a tour of the site and got to see the Spanish Galleon’s work-in-progress. The volunteer program is led by Eric Gerhardt, a knowledgeable and gracious host.

This is just a tiny peek. For a detailed article regarding the project and history (and tons more pictures) by Frank Gormlie, click here.